Biz Briefs of the Week: September 6, 2012

SYB Investment Advisor

Kim Jordan

Stock Yards Financial Services is pleased to announce Kimberly Jordan has joined Stock Yards Financial Services as an Investment Advisor. The division of Stock Yards Bank and Trust with Brokerage Services offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., is located at 1040 E. Main Street.

Ms. Jordan has more than 15 years of experience in financial services and will add great value to Stock Yards Financial Services. She graduated from Murray State University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. Kimberly also holds licenses to sell health and life insurance products.

S.Y. Bancorp, Inc. was incorporated in 1988 as a bank holding company in Louisville, Kentucky and is the parent company of Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company which has thirty banking centers in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. Raymond James Financial Services is Member FINRA/SIPC, is a registered broker/dealer and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raymond James Financial, Inc. For information visit www.syb.com.

Rehab Manager Wins Award

Kathleen Koch

Kathleen Koch, area rehabilitation manager, was awarded with the Excellence in Employee Culture from SunDance Rehabilitation, a national provider of speech, occupational and physical therapy services. Koch, who has served ten area skilled nursing centers in the Kentucky North area since 2007, was honored by SunDance at an awards celebration held in Baltimore, Md. Koch established a new employee onboarding and orientation through the red carpet initiative and consistently promotes her personal philosophy: the company’s best asset lies within each employee. She is credited with transforming the working culture for therapists in the skilled nursing centers she serves by enhancing their level of commitment and dedication to their profession.

SunDance Rehabilitation Corporation was established in 1991 and operates in 38 states. It offers occupational, speech and physical therapy services to more than 400 U.S. healthcare providers including assisted living and skilled nursing centers, hospitals and continuing care retirement communities. For information visit www.sundancerehab.com.

Allegra Honored For Excellence

Gary Owen, owner of Allegra in Louisville, was recently honored by Allegra Network with the franchise system’s prestigious Sales Excellence Award. The recognition is earned by the top 10 percent in the network. Owen also received the Annual Sales Growth Award and was listed in the top ten of system-wide sales growth dollars. In addition to marketing consultation, copywriting and graphic design services, Allegra features advanced printing technologies including full-color printing, digital color signs, posters and banners, complete finishing services, mailing services, variable data capabilities, promotional products and print management solutions.

Allegra in Louisville is a member of Allegra Network, one of the world’s largest marketing, print and graphic communications franchises linking nearly 500 locations in North America. For more information, contact the award-winning Allegra at 502.491.8146, or visit the company’s website at www.allegralouisville.com.

New Library Programs

As part of its commitment to lifelong education, the Louisville Free Public Library is introducing a new series of college level programs designed for those who are considering college, want to go back to college or simply want to participate in the lively exchange of ideas that takes place in the classroom. MyLibraryU brings together three free college and college-bound resources to help ensure that those who want to go to college or participate in college-level learning have that opportunity.

MyLibraryU includes Library Short Courses, a series of college-level classes consisting of four to five sessions each and taught by professors and other local experts. Library Short Courses will include an outline, suggested reading and assignments, but will require no testing or evaluation. Short Courses are open to everyone regardless of their academic background. The scheduled library short courses are “The Known Universe,” which examines the history of astronomy from its origins to modern times; “Music in the Black Church,” which explores the rich blend of traditional African music, American folk music, European classical music and American pop music traditions; and “The U.S. Constitution,” a fresh look at our Constitution and Bill of Rights from its writing by our Founding Fathers to its interpretation today. All Library Short Courses are free and will be held at the Main Library, 301 York Street. To register, call 502.574.1635. For class schedules and information visit www.lfpl.org/MyLibraryU.

MyLibraryU also connects patrons to free online college classes from some of the country’s most distinguished institutions including MIT, Stanford and Harvard. These Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are free, not necessarily for credit and are driving a self-directed learning revolution. On-site classes for accessing and participating in MOOCs are available through MyLibraryU at the Main Library Sept. 12 from 6 to 7 p.m., Sept. 26 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Oct. 10 from 6 to 7 p.m. and Oct. 31 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Finally, MyLibraryU offers free and helpful ACT and SAT Prep Courses for those who want to pursue going to college for a degree. The courses are designed to help applicants successfully complete these necessary entrance exams and include strategies and tips sessions, online practice tools and a full ACT paper practice test. For more information, call 502.574.1611 or visit www.lfpl.org/MyLibraryU.

Scouts, Semonin Partner for Habitat

Semonin Realtors and Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana are ready to raise the roof in September for a new Habitat for Humanity home. The two organizations are excited about the potential of their unique partnership model to inspire others to join forces to help a local family realize the classic American dream of owning their own home. The one-story ranch-style home, with four bedrooms and two baths, will be built for Toemica McDougal and her family. It is located in Sunset Gardens, off Cane Run Road in the Shively area. McDougal is a Louisville native and Certified Nursing Assistant who works two jobs and has four daughters who range from 11 to 18 years of age. She also has two grandchildren, one of whom will live in the new home.

The official ground blessing of the house will take place Sept. 15 at 11:30 a.m. This event is open to the public. A number of local dignitaries and community leaders will be invited to attend. Semonin Realtors will have approximately 200 agent and staff adult volunteers on-hand for the build, and Girl Scouts will have 10 volunteers per day working at the site between September 12 and 14, and will have 60 volunteers on-hand for September 15. Semonin agents and staff have contributed a total of $22,500 for the house this year, which is the company’s 15th Habitat build. Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana raised $22,500 to cover its half of the home’s total cost. The Kentuckiana Council is taking part in the build as a special “take action” project to celebrate Girl Scouting’s 100th anniversary this year.

For more information about this project, or the McDougal family, call Habitat for Humanity at 502.637.6265.

Protect Seniors from fraud

Local senior care experts are urging Louisville and Oldham County families to be alert for scammers who may be targeting their senior loved ones with a variety of clever cons that could jeopardize not only their life savings, but their independence. As a result, the nonprofit National Association of Triads and the local Home Instead Senior Care office have launched a public information program to educate families and seniors about how to protect themselves.

The Protect Seniors from Fraud program – developed with the expert assistance of the Triads – provides family caregivers with a number of important tools at ProtectSeniorsFromFraud.com. Included in the website’s various resources is a Criminal Target Scale, which can help family caregivers assess how likely their senior is to be the potential target of a scam. A Senior Fraud Protection Kit also is available from the local franchise office.

There also will be a free shredding event at the Home Instead Senior Care office, 4610 Taylorsville Road, Sept. 22 from 9 to 11 a.m. Anyone can stop by and have personal documents shredded for free. Presentations will be held that same day from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. by Kentucky Elder Law attorney Misty Clark Vantrease, who can answer legal questions about protecting seniors from fraud and scams, as well as by Officer Jerry Thornsberry with the Louisville Crimes Against Seniors Unit. For information contact the Home Instead Senior Care office at 502.515.9515.

Spalding Official Division III Member

On September 13, President Tori Murden McClure will formally announce Spalding University’s designation as an official NCAA Division III institution, having satisfactorily completed four years as a provisional member. In addition to this milestone, University officials will speak about the athletic campaign, currently underway to renovate the athletic facilities in the University Center building, which is nearing the $1 million mark.

Mayor Greg Fischer, Athletic Director Roger Burkman, Spalding University student-athletes and Jean Orr, Assistant Director of Academic and Membership Affairs for the NCAA, will be in attendance at a press conference and pep rally Sept. 13 at 10:30 a.m. in the Derek Smith Gymnasium, 824 S. Fourth St. As a Division III institution, Spalding aims to develop student-athlete potential through a holistic educational approach that includes rigorous academics, competitive athletics and opportunity to pursue other interests and passions. For information visit www.spalding.edu.